Finally getting around to digging into Balatro. I get what it's doing and it's clever, but there's something about it being "just" playing cards that makes it unexciting to me relative to Monster Train or Slay the Spire. Maybe I need to unlock more cards, but it feels a little two-dimensional.
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I don't have my goal set as "Beat Ante 8" but rather "I hope this build can crack 1 billion chips" 😅
I'm not saying it's not good! It is. It just hasn't grabbed me like my favorites did yet.
Now I'm almost 200 hours in and it's my go-to second screen game
It's all numbers at the end of the day.
I would say unlocking new cards definitely helps because you get excited when good Jokers or consumables, though.
Also its two dimensionality makes is more accessible and easy to get into. Think about Tetris. Simple, two dimensional, yet complex to dominate at high level.
It's definitely complex, but in a way that's not as appealing to me because there's way too much math I have to do in my head to figure out a viable build.
Your desk is your weapon. Your hands are your attacks, the Jokers are your powerups, Planets and Tarot cards are your consumables.
It's a very basic game surface level, sure, but there's a lot going on in it.
Just pointing out what you call just cards is much more when you actually get it. It's fine.
Happy Balatro bday btw.
Playing cards are two dimensional objects.
They are flat.
But id also add
1) it's basically a modern rogue like solitaire. You can always kill time with one more one.
One more.
But also
2) the modding scene is already taking the platform of the game into wild places.
They're all very different takes but it's safe to say there'd be no Balatro without Slay the Spire.
What would you say were your biggest influences, if you don't mind my asking?
But the games that influenced: Big 2 (the card game), TBoI, Luck Be a Landlord, SNKRX mainly
Slay the Spire is just magical, a perfect game. I have a copy in about every device I own.